Cede
by Nahii
Summary: When things go as planned; and then, they don't. A Shizaya fic. ON TEMPORARY HOLD
1. Chapter 1

**CEDE**

_Disclaimer: All wrongs reversed._

_-Insert typical warnings of malexmale relationships here. But you probably deduced that from the fic summary already.-  
><em>

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><p>It was as unexpected as unexpected things went.<p>

As the final bell rang, the hallways were filled with the jostling mass of students as they milled out of the school building excited to be finally free from the humdrum of mandatory education. A figure stood, unnoticed by most, isolated from the din of teenage chatter.

Shizuo Heiwajima was left standing by the shoe lockers with only one question in mind.

_Why?_

He could only stare dumbly at the object in his hand, unsure how to even react to the situation. He scratched his head idly and guiltily pushed the scrap of paper in his pocket. The reason for feeling guilty escaped him completely and he suppressed the need to look around as he did this, feeling a bit paranoid. His skin felt cold and a small shiver ran up and down his arm.

_Damnit._

Shizuo bit his lip, already irritated at how the situation was forcing him to think. He was never a creature given to thoughts, relying more on instinct and physical reflexes rather than think and plan ahead. Consequences be damned, but it felt pretty good to just release that energy waiting to burst out.

And because of his inability to exert the minimum amount of control, things such as receiving love letters just didn't happen to _him_. His reputation for being the least gentle man was bound to scare any, if there are any at all, love potentials. He was pretty sure that with a simple caress, his inhuman strength could possible break a bone or two.

So people stayed away and he was happy with that arrangement. Only those who dared get close to him and who were foolish enough to not know better got hurt. It was the outlet he needed and he was happy with that arrangement too.

And now, _this_ happened and he felt like a sinister crack has appeared, disrupting the natural order of things.

"Arghh" Shizuo rasped out as he made his way out of the school grounds. He didn't like surprises and he most certainly didn't like this novel development _at all_.

His hand strayed to his pocket in a fleeting touch as he stomped his way home, itching for a fight, a pissed off expression glued on his face.

o0o

Izaya bit down the urge to laugh and settled for a Cheshire grin in his mind instead. He itched to do a little crazy dance but forced himself to stay still.

Excitement flowed through his veins. His heart pumped out adrenaline to various parts of his body and he reveled in glee. He was giddy and he was riding through the high, the thrill.

_Anticipation_.

Everything was riding on this one bet, this gamble with the beast. Uncertainty clashed with conviction, but calculating the variables and attempting to predict an outcome was the best part of playing such games with chance.

And if people were to argue that there was no such thing as fate, Izaya would only reply that he makes a sport out of writing the outcomes of lives with a combination of impetuousness and cunning that can only define the very existence of Orihara Izaya.

And although there are instances where people do not act as expected, it was all still part of the game. A recreational activity meant only for him to enjoy as puppet master of sorts. He glanced at his cellphone.

_It was time._

And as expected – his heart skipped a beat - there stood Shizuo, looking exactly as confused as he wanted him to, plus was that a hint of nervousness he detected in the shifty way the taller boy approached the designated place?

The cat's grin grew.

His heart beat loudly in his ears.

"Oho! What a pleasure to see you, Shizu-chan!"

The singsong voice that greeted him as he turned the corner was enough to make veins pop in his head. Add to that the insufferable smirk that was forever plastered on that blasted face and Shizuo was sent into a frenzy of rage.

"Izaya-kunnn. Do you have a fucking death wish, huhhhhh?"

The hoarse shouts rang through the empty corridor. The crash of an innocent trash bin as it hit the wall echoed was followed by the screeching protest of a metal chair as it was bent out of shape.

"Now, now, Shizu-chan…" Izaya put up his hands in mock surrender. "Calm down and…"

"How the fuck am I supposed to calm down when you're always in my face like you keep doing it on purpose again and again and again." Each word was punctuated by the din and clatter of flying school property.

"Most of the time it's really not in purpose, Shizu-chan." Izaya ducked as another chair whizzed past him barely missing his head by inches.

"I don't know what you mean you little piece of-"

Izaya dared to take one step closer. "Now is the exception though."

Shizuo paused, a classroom door held up in midair.

And he blinked once.

Twice.

And then, a third time.

"_Huh_?"

'Now that I have your attention," Izaya's eyes seemed to glow in the afternoon sun. He began, "_Dear Shizuo Heiwajima._"

Bright eyes full of secrets held the other's.

"_I like you_."

The words echoed hollowly in the otherwise deserted corridor. The vibrations seemed almost tangible and a hint of static hung in the air. The blond's eyes widened as he realized what exactly Izaya was saying. _He's gotta be kidding me, right? _

"_For the longest time, I have liked you, Shizuo._"

Shizuo swallowed heavily. His palms started to perspire. The door he held fell with a loud bang, forgotten already.

"_I know I'll never have a chance but I thought I should still tell you."_

He didn't know when Izaya had gotten so close to him, less than two feet away. For some reason, his feet felt heavy and rooted to the spot. He couldn't get away.

"_Please meet me outside your classroom tomorrow at 5 o'clock after school._"

The brunet reached out a hand and covered Shizuo's eyes as he leaned up on tiptoe. He whispered low in the blond's ear.

"_I'll be waiting for you_." Izaya's voice drifted up and around him in a ticklish caress.

It was the breathy whisper that snapped Shizuo out of his daze. He pushed Izaya away and took a retreating step backwards.

His hand reached up unconsciously to cover his face, fighting down a hot flush.

"Shizu-chan?" Izaya was waiting.

"I don't know what fucked up game you have up your sleeve, Izaya, but I'm not playing along with it." His hand curled into a quivering fist.

"Shizu-chan, I- "

"I think you should just leave before I change my mind about the door." The blond still refused to meet Izaya's eyes.

"So I guess that means, it's a no, yes?" There was a slight catch in the shorter boy's voice and Shizuo was unable to stop himself from taking a peek.

The moment of silence that ensured was loud and heavy in their ears.

"There's my answer." Izaya turned away to leave. He raised his hand in an attempt at farewell but thought better of it.

A brief moment later, he was gone.

Shizuo scratched the back of his head, ambivalent feelings stirring up alien emotions in him. He couldn't point out which was which and he was left with a jumbled mass of emotions he couldn't even begin to sort out. Izaya may have left but in his stead was confusion, chaos.

_Irritation_.

He hated thinking, hated scratching at the surface looking for answers.

He slumped against the wall, eyeing the letter disdainfully, torn between tearing it up and keeping it for just a bit longer. He hated complications. He should just throw the damned thing away.

Izaya's small, departing smile flashed at him, behind his closed eyes.

_Ahhh, fuck this!_

With that curse, he put the letter back in his pocket.

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><p><strong>AN:**

I started a new story and I hope to finish this soon. I'll let my muse kick me around until I do.  
>Thank you so much for reading! Please let me know what you think about it.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

_Disclaimer: All wrongs reversed._

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><p><em>Predictable<em>.

From atop a high rise, Izaya looked down on Ikebukuro, bright eyes scrutinizing every inch of his beloved playground. A one sided smirk played on his lips, his gaze both loving and disdainful as he watched people go about their everyday life - selfish, carefree humans with their fixed actions and reactions.

It was all too predictable.

_It was almost boring_.

A frown marred the smooth forehead as the thought flitted through his mind. He had always upheld the firm belief that _only boring people got bored_. The mounting sense of monotony left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Even Shizuo had reacted as expected yesterday. He had calculated the monster's responses: from the hesitant approach, followed by quick anger upon seeing him, dumbfounded shock, and then, the inevitable refusal.

Everything irritatingly went according to plan; the only deviation was that hurried blush that disappeared just as swiftly as it appeared, and the momentary curious gleam in Shizuo's eyes; it could almost have been mistaken for pity.

The irritation blended into a mild, uncalled for spurt of anger. No one pities Orihara Izaya, even if it was as a reaction to one of his schemes. The feeling clashed with the small triumph of getting inside the blonde's brain. Annoyance warred with triumph. It was giving him a headache.

The smile was gone from his face.

He pulled his parka closer around him against the cool night air.

"Izaya."

The man clad in black turned around. _Did someone call his name or was it just the wind?_

The man stepped out from the shadows, blonde hair cast in moonlight, a sharp contrast to the shadows. Cigarette smoke crossed the distance between them and the sweet scent teased Izaya's nostrils.

"Hmmm? Shizu-chan! What a surprise! For once, did you purposefully hunt me out here?"

"I, uhh…"

"Hey, Aren't you forgetting something, Shizu-chan?"

"Huh?"

Izaya sighed and made a mock face palm. "The greeting! You're forgetting your lines, Shizu-chan! You're supposed to go _'Izayaaaaa-kuuuuun, just go and fucking dieeeee!'_, right? I did something to piss you off and that's why you're here to '_fucking kill' _me, right?"

There was only silence as Shizuo opened his mouth to speak, then thought better of it, and closed his lips again and swallowed instead.

Izaya continued with a _tsk_ sound and shook his head. "Ahh this is no good, no good at all, Shizu-chan! This is like practicing and practicing the lines you memorized for a play but when the curtain draws up, you draw a blank and just stand there like the protozoan that you are, ahahaha!" The brunet doubled over with laughter.

When he wasn't getting a reaction from the other man, he stood up straight, and continued. "And the props, Shizuo-chan! Vending machines! You-"

Shizuo stomped down on his cigarette and made a show out of grinding the ashes with his foot. Izaya waited; his nerves on end.

"I always thought you talk too much, Izayaaa-kuuuun."

_Ahh, finally_. The way Shizuo said his name was so familiar that Izaya felt like he was meeting up with an old friend. He felt like he could almost cry as Shizuo reacted, exactly as he expected him to.

_Monotony_.

He braced himself as the blond took one, two steps closer. His pupils dilated, highly conscious of every singular move the taller man made. It was a battle and he was prepared. He was ready to spring into action at the slightest hint of attack.

Shizuo spoke.

"Do you really like me, Izaya?"

"What?"

The question distracted him from his focus. Shizuo was a blur of quick movement. And then, feeling of coldness dissipated immediately. The foreign sensation of being held, in addition to the death grip Shizuo already had on him, froze him effectively in place.

Izaya shivered, but not from the cold.

"What the fuck, Shizuo? Let me go!"

Try as he might, Izaya could not wiggle out of the blond's tight hold on him. Strangulation seemed like an imminent threat. For all the times Shizuo tried to kill him, this was probably the closest he ever felt like actually dying.

Izaya wheezed out the blond's name.

The grip loosened a little but Shizuo didn't release him just yet. He could move his head sideways now though, and from what he could see, the tips of Shizuo's ears were pink.

_You have got to be fucking kidding me._

A light drizzle started to fall, completing the picture. He felt like the Ikebukuro gods did it on purpose and were laughing at him.

He shivered again.

"Cold?" Shizuo mumbled.

Izaya hissed. "Stop whispering in my ear like that!" He bit his lip.

"Care to explain what this exactly means, Shizu-chan?" There was an undertone of curiosity in his voice laced with annoyance.

"Just so you know, _flea_, this doesn't mean I like you back or anything like that!"

"Wha-? Like me _back_?"

_Oh_.

The puzzle pieces fell perfectly into place.

_Revelation_.

"Then why are you hugging me, Shizu-chan~? Surely you can't blame me if I interpret this as you liking me _back_?" Laughter bubbled inside the smaller man and it took every ounce of will power to keep it toned down to a slight smirk.

With that, Shizuo let go suddenly as if he's been burned. Even his neck was a deep pink.

_Oh this was just too precious._

"I- I was just thinking, ever since, you know." Shizuo mussed the hair at his nape, obviously uncomfortable with the little speech he had prepared to give. His eyes were shifty, unsure where to focus his attention.

Izaya bit back the urge to cackle.

"M- maybe it's not such a bad idea if we uhh…" The words faltered.

"Go on, go on." Izaya encouraged with glee.

"So what I'm proposing is…"

Izaya raised his eyebrow, expectant, interested. Curiosity killed the cat but it was this curiosity that made Izaya tick.

"We can try to enter a platonic relationship." Shizuo let out in a huff.

"A relationship? With me? Shizuo Heiwajima and Orihara Izaya, _together_? And just what are we going to base this '_relationshi_p' on?" The brunet prodded further. The corner of his lip twisted and he bit his tongue this time.

"It is based on your feelings for me." Shizuo deadpanned.

Izaya sputtered.

"I just thought, we could give it a try." Shizuo ventured further, and added a shrug.

Izaya noriced his mouth was still hanging open and he tried to recover his dignity but still, no words came out. He was still gaping at the other man.

He had never expected Shizuo to act on his little prank, his experiment. And that was all it was: a game to see if he could finally get inside the protozoic brain of his enemy. And now the damned protozoan was actually considering impossible things such a relationship between them.

The situation could not get any more absurd than this.

Shizuo proved him wrong.

The blond suddenly grabbed his hand in a vise-like grip. Izaya hoped that tiny crack he heard was a figment of his imagination.

"So what I want to say is, I'm accepting your confession, Izaya." This time Shizuo met his eyes steadily.

"You hate me." Izaya whispered. "That's a given, Shizuo. The whole of Ikebukuro knows that fact. Why are you even considering this?"

"I dunno. I-" Shizuo paused. "It seemed like a good idea while I was thinking about what happened."

"So what you're saying is that you, Heiwajima Shizuo, are willing to get into a lovey-dovey relationship with me, Orihara Izaya, mortal enemy apparent?"

"Uhhhh, well-"

"Go on dates and stuff? Hang out together? Walk home from school? Hold hands?" Izaya prompted further.

Shizuo dropped his hand right then and there, but the telling blush was answer enough. The blond seemed hesitant about it all but he looked as if he had his mind made up the moment he sought out Izaya tonight.

Izaya's thoughts spun.

And then, he definitely was not bored, anymore.

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><p><strong>AN**

Thank you so much for reading this!

I hope my rendition of Izaya and Shizuo wasn't too out of character. I did try my best not to murder their characterization. ;;  
>I'll try to update soon, though. c:<p>

Thank you so much to Love-girl2015, mika[dot]siam.71192, Voidance, grrlsvomitcandy, and DevilishBea for the reviews in the last chapter.


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